Different Phenotypes of Marmorkrebs

[Soothing Shrimp]

Here's an interesting article dealing with Marble crays on Production of different phenotypes from the same genotype in the same environment by developmental variation.

 

http://jeb.biologists.org/content/211/4/510.full

[Steve R.]

Great find. The keyword is epigenetics. The gene activity is influenced by epigenetic regulation such as DNA methylation and histone modification (acetylation, methylation, etc.). It is harder to study than the primary DNA sequence but for the variations in the phenotype likely as important as variations caused by mutations. Epigenetics should be taken into account by breeders, because the epigenetic marks can change during the lifetime of an organism or in its offspring and are often influenced by the environment, such as food, substrates and water chemistry.

It is one explanation why some interesting variations in phenotypes are sometimes not heritable or disappear or weaken if we put shrimps from one tank into another, or from move them from one breeder to another.

[Soothing Shrimp]

Awesome information, Steve.  Thank you!

 

I thought this was especially interesting since all the crays were raised identically and displayed phenotypes differently.

[chibikaie]

So that is why my batch ranges from half an inch to two inches ... I think they are all from the same clutch of eggs, and I was worried that I was underfeeding them since there was such a big size variation.

[Steve R.]

Yes, the (genetically identical) self cloning caryfish are an excellent system to study this variation.

I read some articles a while ago about coat color variation in genetically identical mice that was caused by epigenetic mechanisms.

[Soothing Shrimp]

I've noticed differences too, chib.

[chibikaie]

I'm trading this girl today, but I wanted to post a photo first. She has some blue tints to her claws and she is one of the bigger ones.